The Supreme Court on Thursday reaffirmed David Mark as National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), setting aside the Court of Appeal’s “status quo ante bellum” order that had frozen the party’s leadership dispute.
The unanimous ruling by a 5-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba effectively restores the David Mark-led executive.
The apex court held that the Appeal Court’s order was unnecessary and that the jurisdiction appeal was wrongly filed. It noted the appeal arose from an ex-parte order inviting parties to show cause, but was brought without first obtaining the appellate court’s leave.
With the judgment, INEC’s delisting of the David Mark-led ADC executive is nullified. The decision ends months of uncertainty over the party’s leadership and hands David Mark full control ahead of the 2027 political cycle.
